Now, keep in mind, this is totally by eye-ball and 100% subjective. It’s a gut feel thing. And, it’s not based on any sabermetric principles or the like.

But, if I were pushed to offer an opinion on it, on the fly, I would say that, at his best, Nova could have an Edwin Jackson type ceiling; and, at his worst, we’re looking at the next Boof Bonser. And, in the end, what he’ll probably be is somewhere in between that.

Comments on How Good Can Ivan Nova Be?

To be a successful major league starter, Nova will need to improve his command considerably and show an effective third pitch. He’s young and he has shown much improvement over the past two season, so I would not rule it out. But I wouldn’t take it to the bank that he’ll make the next big step, either. For the moment, he gives the Yankees what they need, and I’m fine with that. You can never have enough good, young arms in the organization, because most will never reach the top. That’s no shame — solid relief pitchers and assets for trades are very valuable, too.

Remember how excited people were over Ian Kennedy back in ’07 after only 3 starts? Didn’t ammount to much, did it? Now Ian and Ivan are both forms of the same root name (Iohannes) and Nova is Latin for “new.”
Sooo… Ivan Nova: The New Ian. Interesting.